The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area 81 of torture has called for the introduction of a moratorium on executions in Uzbekistan.207 Method of execution Shooting208 Statistics Access to statistics Statistics on death sentences and executions are not made public. In its concluding observations on the second periodic report submitted by Uzbekistan, the UN Human Rights Committee expressed its concern about the lack of information on the number of prisoners sentenced to death, grounds for conviction, and the number of executions. The Committee has urged Uzbekistan to “publish such information periodically and make it accessible to the public”.209 In a press statement in September 2004, the UN special rapporteur on the question of torture highlighted “the lack of cooperation by the Government of Uzbekistan with United Nations human rights mechanisms in relation to reports on executions of persons whose sentences were allegedly based on confessions extracted under torture”.210 Death sentences Official statistics were not provided. According to information received from nongovernmental organizations, at least nine individuals were sentenced to death during the period from 30 June 2005 to 30 June 2006. They are: Inomjon Abdullaev, Alisher Turabaev, Shermukhammad Khakimov, Jurabek Irgaybaev, Alexandr Sim, Igor Khan, Vadim Popov, Egambergan Razzakov, and Mikhail Sakhno. Executions Official statistics were not provided. 207 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture, Theo van Boven, Addendum, Mission to Uzbekistan, E/CN.4/2003/68/Add.2, 3 February 2003, para. 70 (s). 208 Article 51 of the Criminal Code. Article 140 of the Criminal Executive Code of 1 April 1995 provides that executions shall not be carried out in public. 209 210 Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee: Uzbekistan, CCPR/CO/83/UZB, 26 April 2005, para. 7. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture, E/CN.4/2005/62, 15 December 2004, para. 7.